Transform your Defender for £250

lightning · Jul 25, 2017

Fit adjustable dampers.
Did this last week on my 110 TD5 SW. Standard springs, Terrafirma 4 way adjustable dampers.
On the softest setting the Defender is so much better over bad roads and what a difference on unmade tracks!
The missus summed it up the best "Still a Defender, but like having a mattress between you and the bumps"
Also the bouncing when hitting a pothole at speed has gone, my tool boxes no longer take off when l go over a speed hump, and l can do bridleways more smoothly in second than l used to do in first.
lt seems the body is more cotrolled and the suspension is doing the work, a bit like an old Range Rover. But it's not wallowy on the road at speed.
And if you want the original Defender ride quality you can turn the adjusters to position 3!

alexc2701 · Jul 25, 2017

lightning said:
Fit adjustable dampers.
Did this last week on my 110 TD5 SW. Standard springs, Terrafirma 4 way adjustable dampers.
On the softest setting the Defender is so much better over bad roads and what a difference on unmade tracks!
The missus summed it up the best "Still a Defender, but like having a mattress between you and the bumps"
Also the bouncing when hitting a pothole at speed has gone, my tool boxes no longer take off when l go over a speed hump, and l can do bridleways more smoothly in second than l used to do in first.
lt seems the body is more cotrolled and the suspension is doing the work, a bit like an old Range Rover. But it's not wallowy on the road at speed.
And if you want the original Defender ride quality you can turn the adjusters to position 3!

I wish I hadn't already done mine now

lightning · Jul 25, 2017

Well, there have been quite a few "how can l improve the ride on my Defender" threads (so a search on google) with no definitive answers it seems.
Long discussions about fitting new springs (with concerns about the ride height/what about when loaded up etc)

I had a Ferrari with adjustable dampers and it made a big difference, on "soft" it was really good over bad roads while on "normal" it was as you'd expect from a Ferrari and on "hard" it was rock hard so l thought why not try it on the Land Rover.

I do have ARB's on the 110.
And any adjustable dampers that you fit have to have a setting that's softer than standard.

The Terrafirma ones are oil/gas so better than standard ones anyway.
They have four settings which appear to be soft, normal, hard and rock hard.

alexc2701 · Jul 27, 2017

lightning said:
Well, there have been quite a few "how can l improve the ride on my Defender" threads (so a search on google) with no definitive answers it seems.
Long discussions about fitting new springs (with concerns about the ride height/what about when loaded up etc)

I had a Ferrari with adjustable dampers and it made a big difference, on "soft" it was really good over bad roads while on "normal" it was as you'd expect from a Ferrari and on "hard" it was rock hard so l thought why not try it on the Land Rover.

I do have ARB's on the 110.
And any adjustable dampers that you fit have to have a setting that's softer than standard.

The Terrafirma ones are oil/gas so better than standard ones anyway.
They have four settings which appear to be soft, normal, hard and rock hard.

I'll have to remember when I come to changing mine, not that I'll drive it much so probably be a while haha

Marmaduke · Jul 27, 2017

I transformed mine for 510 quid, I bought a disco

faster, quieter, more room and I'm not scared of getting it robbed every time I leave it

alexc2701 · Jul 27, 2017

Marmaduke said:
I transformed mine for 510 quid, I bought a disco faster, quieter, more room and I'm not scared of getting it robbed every time I leave it

I've got my 90 and a D2. .. Tempted to buy the late model D2 (don't like d3s) but they're worth nothing so good to buy but no resale value. So I'm stuck as to when the 90s rebuilt to either get a 110 or the newer D2... you're right on the theft part and it's comfy as anything. I'm contemplating building a new garage to put the 90 in haha that paranoid.
510 is cheap

my D2 was like 2.3k but had a rebuilt engine and mint chassis. Box needs sorting out though. .. my lists keep getting longer....

Marmaduke · Jul 27, 2017

Mine's a 300tdi, I'd only bought it for the transfer box to put in my defender

To be honest I very rarely locked my defender

alexc2701 · Jul 27, 2017

Marmaduke said:
Mine's a 300tdi, I'd only bought it for the transfer box to put in my defender

To be honest I very rarely locked my defender

What then thought damn this is comfy?

I'd like to rebuild a disco cos they're really good but they aren't worth sinking the money in unless you were gana keep it forever

Marmaduke · Jul 27, 2017

alexc2701 said:
What then thought damn this is comfy?
I'd like to rebuild a disco cos they're really good but they aren't worth sinking the money in unless you were gana keep it forever

Basically yeah, it was really solid and I took it for a mot on my way home and it only wanted a wheel bearing

As in the next couple of years my defender wanted a chassis and bulkhead it was a no brainer to keep the disco

lightning · Aug 16, 2017

This thread has died....

I'm really surprised, as there have been numerous "how can l make my Defender ride better" over the years.

So l find a way to do it cheaply, and a/nobody suggests that they might try it b/the thread dies with almost no questions

Paul D · Aug 16, 2017

It's also been discussed elsewhere on the forum ...

My take is they're more expensive to buy, easy enough to setup if you have some time to check and change all the settings, but most people simply won't change the settings between road and track, so once they're set for what you mostly do, that's fine! If they had a remote (in the cab) adjuster/dial that changed the shocks without getting wet and muddy then I'd be interested ...

bankz5152 · Aug 16, 2017

@lightning Could you post up some pics of the dial?

Also can the adjustment dial be removed? If so could you take a pic of that too?

Im currently working on a way to build remotely adjustable dampers but am at the stage where ive either got to buy some or get a good look at some!

lightning · Aug 16, 2017

I've found that there's no need to adjust them.
Set to the softest (of four settings) the Defender is better on road, better off road, better when empty and better when loaded.
Although l've not tried it with a full load (such as nine adults)
I wonder if others have discussed the more complex and expensive eight way adjustable dampers with the remote reservoirs, which are also more involved to fit.

bankz5152 · Aug 16, 2017

They are ideally what I am going to buy eventually though some kits are not good for road use due to the mounting points. Plus at ~£180 a corner quite pricey!

Paul D · Aug 16, 2017

Yeah, I've discussed coil overs, fully adjustable for damping, rebound, adjustable spring preloads, movable mounting points, nitrogen, air, oil, foam filled shocks, alsorts etc. The general consensus is basically my conclusion, soft as possible, shock and springs, keeping ride height at whatever load you run is best off-road. Even most racers who often strip their vehicles after every race rarely bother to adjust their shocks unless they need a service ... though I also know people who service and adjust theirs every time too!

I cannot believe, 'cos it makes no sense, that the same vehicle is better on road when softly sprung than when more stiffly sprung .. unless it was way over stiff in the first place!

This also suggests 'adjustable' means not easily adjustable, but adjustable setup properly ... adjustable to me means easily and quickly.

Plus, where can I get a full set for £250 that retains the articulation I want? (I run +2" shocks in the front and +5" in the rear)

lightning · Aug 16, 2017

These are £60 a corner.
And they do a version for Defenders with 2" lift.
The 110 TD5 is set up as standard to be OK fully loaded, and so is pretty hard when lightly loaded.

All l can say is, running adjustable dampers set to soft, and standard springs, with ARB's, my 110 CSW rides better both on and light off road without being wallowy or less controlled.

Paul D · Aug 16, 2017

Who does?

Paul D · Aug 16, 2017

Ah, terrafirma ... will have a look ..

Paul D · Aug 16, 2017

Ooh .. Not quite what I would want, as said, but I do like the look of the TF137 Mega Sports ... Plumb the air adjustable into either a single manifold for fourway adjustability on the fly or separates for front and rear, or even four separate adjusters ... Dunno how you'd get the nitrogen charged, but might the N be substituted with straight air is my second thoughts ...

lightning · Aug 16, 2017

I was just looking to improve my Defender for mainly road use.
l'm going to try a set on the missus's 90 TD5 SW to see what improvement it makes to that.

Transform your Defender for £250

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Old, nackered 'n broke, but the Landy is fine . :)

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Old, nackered 'n broke, but the Landy is fine . :)

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Old, nackered 'n broke, but the Landy is fine . :)

Old, nackered 'n broke, but the Landy is fine . :)

Old, nackered 'n broke, but the Landy is fine . :)

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